Looking for the Starting Nursing Salary In California? You have come to the right place! Here you will find all the information you need to make an informed decision on where and how to get started in your career.
Nursing is a challenging, but rewarding career. There are many job opportunities out there for you, and some can offer excellent benefits. The first step in launching your new career is to find the right starting salary in California!
The state of California is home to over 2,000 hospitals and a large number of them are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care. In fact, as of 2017 there were over 65 hospitals in California with an overall rating of 5 stars from Medicare. This is good news for nurses looking for jobs in the state who want to work at a hospital that is highly regarded by patients, employers and peers.
Starting Nursing Salary In California Overview
Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers you can choose. As a nurse, you’ll be helping people in their most vulnerable moments and making a difference in their lives. But while nursing may be one of the most rewarding careers, it’s also one of the most challenging.
Nurses must have a strong understanding of anatomy and physiology, as well as an ability to remain calm under pressure. Nurses are responsible for administering care and treatments according to doctors’ orders; they must also be able to make decisions independently when circumstances require it.
Nurses who work in hospitals generally earn more than those who work elsewhere, but there are many other factors that affect how much money you can make as a nurse. Some of these include:
- Your location—the cost of living in California is higher than many other states, so salaries tend to be higher here as well; however, some areas offer better salaries than others
- Type of facility—hospitals typically pay more than outpatient clinics or private practices
- Experience level—the longer you’re in your field and have advanced medical skills like critical thinking (which is necessary for patient care), the more money you’ll likely make
What Is the Starting Pay Rate of an RN?
Doctors rely on registered nurses (RNs) to dispense medication, craft treatment plans for patients, and even conduct medical tests and analyze the results. RN training is comprehensive, and results in a two- or four-year college degree in nursing or a diploma from an approved nursing school. The licensure process includes observed clinical work. Salaries for new RNs depend in part upon where they work. Registered Nurse RN reported that the starting salary for an RN ranges from $28,000 to $50,000 a year.
RN Pay Range
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported nearly 3.1 million million registered nurses working nationwide as of 2019. These RNs averaged $73,300 in annual salary, equal to $35.24 an hour.
Hospitals and Doctors’ Offices
The majority of RNs, more than 1.5 million, worked in general medical and surgical hospitals, earning an average wage of $79,460 a year, according to the BLS. The second-largest number of RNs worked in doctors’ offices, where 197,890 RNs averaged $69,570 a year.
Other Care Facilities
Three other common employers of registered nurses offered very different types of care. The third-largest employer was home health care, where 177,790 RNs averaged $73,660 a year. The fourth-largest employer was nursing care facilities, where 151,300 nurses averaged $69,740 a year – slightly higher than the pay earned in doctors’ offices.
Registered Nurse Salary by State
One of the factors affecting pay is geographic location, due to supply and demand in an area as well as the cost of living. According to the BLS, the top-paying nurse salaries were earned in California ($113,240), Hawaii ($104,060), District of Columbia ($94,820), Massachusetts ($93,160) and Oregon ($92,960).
The five states reporting the highest number of RN jobs, along with average salaries, were reported by the BLS as the following:
- California: $113,240
- Texas: $74,540
- Florida: $67,610
- New York: $87,840
- Pennsylvania: $71,410
Experience Matters
The employment website PayScale reported the average 2020 salary for nurses was $64,806, with average pay ranging between $44,000 and $91,000. For entry-level jobs, a registered nurse starting salary was 11 percent less than the national average. PayScale also reported levels of nurse salary based on experience, with mid-career nurses earning an average of 3 percent above average. Experienced RNs earned 12 percent above average, while late career nurses earned 18 percent above average.
Nurse salary based on experience was also true for RNs with specialized skill sets. Nurses in oncology, acute care, critical care, intensive care, and labor and delivery earned slightly more on average.
Registered Nurse Salary in California
The average Registered Nurse Salary in California (CA) is $102,700 which is well above the national average for RN’s. There are approximately 282,290 Registered Nurses employed in the state of California across a range of industries. The tables below show employment figures, average salary information – by hour, week, month and annual salaries in Metropolitan and Non Metropolitan areas of California.
| Hourly Wage | Weekly Wage | Monthly Salary | Annual Salary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse RN Salary California | $49.37 | $1,975 | $8,558 | $102,700 |
| U.S. Registered Nurse RN Salary | $35.36 | $1,414 | $6,129 | $73,550 |
| U.S. National Average Salary | $24.34 | $973 | $4,218 | $50,620 |
Nurse Practitioner Salary in California
The average Nurse Practitioner Salary in California (CA) is $126,770 which is above the national average for Nurse Practitioners. The latest figures show that there are 13,570 Nurse Practitioners employed in the state of California across a range of industries. These figures do not include further specialties within the group.
Highest paying cities in California for registered nurses
| San Jose, CA | $155,230 per year |
| Oakland, CA | $151,640 per year |
| Fairfield, CA | $146,360 per year |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $141,440 per year |
| Napa, CA | $139,680 per year |
California nursing salaries vary from region to region across the state. The area where registered nurses are paid the highest is San Jose, where the average RNs salary is $155,230 and 20,640 registered nurses are currently employed. The Oakland area comes in second, with a $151,640 average RN salary and 41,160 registered nurses employed.
How much do similar professions get paid in California?
| Nurse Anesthetist | $232,540 per year |
| Nurse Midwife | $159,590 per year |
| Nurse Practitioner | $151,830 per year |
| Dental Hygienist | $109,970 per year |
| Physical Therapist | $104,500 per year |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $65,140 per year |
| Pharmacy Technician | $49,990 per year |
At a $124,000 average annual salary, RNs in California tend to earn less than nurse anesthetists ($232,540), nurse midwives ($159,590), and nurse practitioners ($151,830). They tend to earn more than dental hygienists ($109,970), physical therapists ($104,500), licensed practical nurses ($65,140), and pharmacy technicians ($49,990).
